Rabin’s Independence Day Message; Israel Will Not Bow to Any Pressure

Premier Yitzhak Rabin, in his Independence Day message to world Jewry, declared that Israel “would not bow to any pressure but will continue to stand firm in order to promote genuine movement towards genuine peace.”

Referring to the recent unsuccessful shuttle talks, Rabin said: “We would have wished on this Independence Day to be able to record progress towards lasting peace with security….Once again in recent weeks Israel demonstrated how ready it is to take real risks for peace, providing there is a response from the other side. This, regrettably, has not been the case. Nevertheless we shall continue patiently to pursue our quest towards this goal.

“Israel will not and dare not, however, experiment with its vital security in return for vague commitments and fragile arrangements. We have too often in these past 27 years granted concessions…that turned out to be one-sided and that ultimately encouraged our neighbors to choose war….Israel cannot forget those past experiences….”

The Premier continued: “In a world whose moral strength is being sapped by extortion and political manipulation, the Jewish State looks to its fellow Jews as never before to join with it in proclaiming the human and historic justice of its cause. Together we represent an unbreakable strength born out of our common heritage and destiny.

“Let that strength be expressed not in words alone but in tangible and dramatic action through personal aliya, increased material assistance, intensified Jewish education and an unprecedented tourist flow. Let us together make the 27th Independence Day of Israel a time of Jewish rededication to the upbuilding of the land….”